Elmwood Cemetery, Memphis TN

[dee_burris]

I wanted to go to Elmwood ever since I found out last summer that my g-g-g-grandfather, Nathaniel C Callaway, was buried there, in the section called Confederate Soldiers Rest.

This week, one of my newly found Callaway cousins and I had a Nike moment, and said let's just do it.

So we went today.

We found Nathaniel's grave, with the help of a map with tiny little plot numbers on it, and a very enthusiastic office staffer with a magnifying glass. We also found Levi Callaway's grave - he was a fourth cousin to Nathaniel.

Neither grave was marked, apart from the little concrete markers with the plot numbers, 652 and 140, on them. But now we know where they are, and we can order markers from the government, pay the cemetery to set the stones, and then get our photos.

Elmwood is on the National Register of Historic Places. It is huge, and tours are given by advance request for groups of ten or more. You can take an audio driving tour solo, but we just decided to meander on our own.



I took 202 photos. It was very hard for me to pare down the number to post.



This is a long shot of the Oddfellows section of the cemetery. The name Oddfellows refers to a number of friendly societies operating in the United Kingdom. It also refers to a number of Lodges with histories dating back to the 18th century. These various organisations were set up to protect and care for their members and communities at a time when there was no welfare state, trade unions or National Health Service. The aim was (and still is) to provide help to members when they need it.



All the markers in that section look the same.



Confederate Soldiers Rest was impressive in its size, and the variety of states from which the soldiers came.





The Confederate Soldiers' monument.



This has to be the largest broken tree monument I have ever seen. The tallest I had seen before was about the size of a grown man. This was much larger.



Lt. Col. Snowden's monument is a cenotaph.



He was buried in American Military Cemetery #1 in France.









There were two other photographers shooting this one when we came up on it.













The monument on a child's grave.



The crypts and mausoleums were impressive.







We couldn't figure this one out. It was shaped like a cross, and was completely sealed in concrete.



Side view.





There is a section of interment of cremains of people who donated their bodies to research at death.

Comments

[openscarf.livejournal.com]

Spectacular photos, I like seeing the cemeteries in fall the best I think.

[dee-burris.livejournal.com]

I kinda think I do too...

But then, I really love them in the fog also, and...

All the time.

[oakmouse]

In the US after 1819, it was these Odd Fellows.

The three links and FLT are the emblem of the IOOF, and stand for Friendship, Love, and Truth. Most Odd Fellow gravestones have some variant on that emblem, unless they're for members of the Patriarchs Militant (the uniform degree of the IOOF). From the Odd Fellow Valediction: I believe in Friendship, Love and Truth as basic guides to the ultimate destiny of all mankind.

(I am --- or was; I'm no longer active --- a Past Grand of the IOOF, a Past Noble Grand in the Rebekahs, a Past Chief Matriarch in the Ladies Encampment Auxiliary, and more generally a member on both the women's and men's sides all the way up. I also belonged to one of the Rebekah goofus lodges, about which I can say nothing more than that. *g*)

Gorgeous photos...

[dee-burris.livejournal.com]

Oh wow...I learn something new every day. Thanks for the correction.

I somehow cannot imagine you going to goofus meetings...

;)

[oakmouse]

Sure, no problem. The Wikipedia articles were pretty confusing as to who was what when, and an outsider wouldn't have much chance of figuring it out from the way they had things, erm, "organized".

That particular lodge met once a year, and was a chance for the ladies to let their hair down at the state convention. I'm not much of a practical joker by nature, but I got dragged into it by the ear and went along to oblige several friends. I didn't spoil it for them by telling them that their initiation was much tamer than they thought. I had worse in high school at the annual band and orchestra outing. ;)

Elmwood Cemetery

[(Anonymous)]

Dea, I am in a genealogy group that does a quarterly publication. This quarter we have an article about Elmwood Cemetery and some of the Confederate soldiers that are buried there. I was wondering if you would give us permission to use the photo of the Confederate Monument that you took. We would, of course, give you credit for taking the photo.

Thank you,

Elaine.Johnson@suddenlink.net

Re: Elmwood Cemetery

[dee_burris]

Sure, Elaine. Just right click and save. I'd love a copy of your publication.